Vehicle carrier rack for pick-up truck

Abstract

The invention is a simple and convenient carrier structure for transporting 2 (two) or more ATVs or snowmobiles on a standard-sized pick-up truck. The carrier has a frame which is adapted to be secured on the box, or bed of the pick-up. The front of the frame is cantilevered to extend generally horizontally from the front of the box forward and above the cab with front decking to support a first vehicle horizontally above the pick-up cab. The back part of the carrier frame has back decking to support a second vehicle on an incline from near the top back of the cab to near the bottom back of the box. The back decking is pivotally mounted to the frame at the decking's front end, and may be supported by a rear transverse frame member also pivotally mounted to the carrier frame so that it may be raised and lowered and flipped upside-down in position to support the back decking at a variety of angles or to support a tent fabric for camping.

I claim: 
     
       1. A vehicle carrier rack for a pick-up truck, said pick-up truck having a cab and a standard pick-up truck box with front corners, rear corners, and a tailgate, said rack comprising: a pair of front vertical posts which fit into the front corners of the standard pick-up truck box;   a pair of rear vertical posts which fit into the back corners of the standard pick-up truck box;   a pair of horizontal bars, each bar having a front end and a back end, and extending lengthwise forwardly from at or near the top of a rear vertical post substantially past the top of a front vertical post out over the front of the cab of the pick-up truck, each of said bars being connected to said rear and front vertical posts;   a middle transverse bar connected between and secured to said pair of horizontal bars;   a set of rear decking pivotally connected at or near its front end to said pair of horizontal bars or to said middle transverse bar at or near the top of said pair of front vertical posts, said rear decking extending rearwardly toward the tailgate of the pick-up truck.   
     
     
       2. The carrier rack of claim 1 which also comprises a rear transverse bar pivotally connected between said pair of rear vertical posts for supporting said rear decking at or near the decking's rear end. 
     
     
       3. The carrier rack of claim 1 which also comprises a set of front decking supported by a front transverse bar connected between the front ends of said pair of horizontal bars. 
     
     
       4. The carrier rack of claim 3 which also comprises a pair of risers, each extending vertically from the top of a front vertical post, and securing a cable for supporting the front end of a horizontal bar, the front transverse bar and the set of front decking. 
     
     
       5. The carrier rack of claim 1 which also comprises additional rear decking for cooperating with the rear end of said rear decking.